From What Is to What If, by Rob Hopkins
'One of the cofounders of Transition Town Totnes and Transition Network, Rob Hopkins has developed into one of the most important thinkers and communicators in the field of environmental and social change. Rather than dwelling on the harm we’re doing he encourages us to think about a more optimistic and positive future for the world. And this book reminds us that if we’re to achieve a positive future, we need to be able to imagine it. But we need to do this when, for most of us, this important human trait is undervalued and in danger of being snuffed out.
Having achieved a certain age, if not a corresponding sense of maturity, I remember games of make believe from when I was a child. These games mostly happened outside the formal learning environment – during school break times or in the evenings or weekends. Lessons didn’t include much opportunity for using our imaginations but, from the evidence presented in this book, school is the time when our “imagination muscles” need to be exercised and strengthened. We need our young people to be imaginative and to visualise the future we can have.
I’ve recently been thinking about the contribution of business to the climate, biodiversity and social crises we face. I’ve tried to imagine what it would be like if business leaders made better decisions by factoring into their decision-making, what the effect might be on the environment, on their surroundings. I’ve developed some learning material that gives them tangible, business reasons why they should think in this way. So, I was interested to read what Rob Hopkins’ ideas were around this.
And the ideas are audacious! He suggests that our survival depends on being able to reimagine most aspects of how society works. He wants our leaders (business, but also political and faith leaders) to value imagination in policy making, education, public life, planning, development, democracy and economics. This would be a massive change, but he also provides some real-world examples of where this has, to some extent, happened. The results of these “experiments” speak for themselves.
Despite my games of make believe when I was younger, I don’t think I’ve ever been particularly imaginative. Like many people, I tend to dwell on the negative aspects of change and the harm we’re doing. But after reading this book, I’m trying hard to think about the future I would like to see, rather than the one I fear we might be heading towards. If you’re looking for a serious, yet optimistic and practical look at ways to deal with our interlocking crises, this book will help.
Hopkins, R. (2020). From What Is to What If: unleashing the power of imagination to create the future we want. S.L.: Chelsea Green.